The OP photograph depicts pommes parmentier, improperly garnished perhaps with fried onion.

Hash browns are flaked potatoes fried in a pattie form and should be golden brown and crisp - McDonalds do the best. Best with lots of pepper and salt with lots of tomato ketchup on hand.

Anyone who puts onion in a hash brown should be disembowelled, have his intestine nailed to a post and be chased with a red hot poker to be shoved up his arse.